There will be a change at the top of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. CEO Jacques Vandermeiren (62) is stepping down from his position and the search for a successor has already begun.
The move comes against the backdrop of a “new strategic phase” in which the organization intends to focus more strongly on cost efficiency and sustainable value creation. According to the Board of Directors, this next stage of development will be shaped by a new CEO, who will develop and implement the future strategic plan from the outset.
Vandermeiren has been at the helm of the Port Authority since January 2017. His tenure included the merger of the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge, which resulted in the current integrated organization.
Until a new CEO is appointed, COO Rob Smeets will take over as CEO ad interim. He will ensure continuity in the day-to-day business and in the strategic direction.
Chairman of the Board of Directors Johan Klaps paid particular tribute to Vandermeiren’s role in the international positioning of the port as well as in innovation topics and the ecological transformation. He highlighted the successful merger of Antwerp and Zeebrugge as his greatest achievement.
Port association with recent declines
In 2025, throughput fell by 4.1 %. At the time, the port management attributed this decline entirely to the declining bulk goods business. However, Antwerp-Zeebrugge also lost market share in the container segment: In the Hamburg-Le Havre trade lane, the share fell by 1.2 percentage points to 29.3% in the first nine months of the previous year. In Belgium, this was explained by strikes and the new schedules of the shipping alliances.
In fact, the work stoppages had a considerable impact on the port during Vandermeiren’s term of office. For several weeks, container handling came to an almost complete standstill at times. This resulted in delays and backlogs at sea, which could only be cleared after a delay.
Vandermeiren had been at the helm of the port of Antwerp since 2017. Vandermeiren himself spoke of a “new era” – both for the company and personally. He had carried out the task “with heart and soul” and was proud of the port’s development into a modern and efficient operation.
